SYNONYMOUS TERMS. 109 
and fuggefts, that the philofopher occupies a point at which he 
is difpofed to reft, without making any attempt to go to ano- 
ther, in which he might fail. Vagus again is oppofed to certus, 
and implies, that he is free from that want of determination 
as to the point he is to arrive at, which is peculiar to vaga- 
bonds. 
PALARI agrees with vagari, in implying the act of roving 
without any fettled direction; but differs both from it and 
errare, in. fuggefting the difperfion of a multitude and the 
ftraggling of {cattered parties. The two former verbs apply ei- 
ther to one or a number, and have no reference to any party 
with which they were previoufly connected. It is otherwife 
with palari; which fuppofes more than one feparated from a 
company that has been broken. 
Foemina palantes agit, atque hc agmina vertit *? 
“Teucrorum auxilia, foeda fuga difperfa, totis campis pa- 
“ lantur 7.” 
Tue purity of the following expreflion in Lucretius, in 
which errare and palari are found in the fame fentence, may 
be queftioned :. 
Defpicere unde alios queas paflimque videre 
Errare, atque viam palantes querere vite tf. 
The fame wanderers cannot be both with and without an object 
at the fame time. While pa/ari then marks only their number 
and their difperfion, the terms “ viam querere vite” an- 
nexed to it fhew, that it is not to be underftood in its full ex-- 
tent. 
Macnus 
* Virgs En. 11. 736. t Lucret. 2. 9. 
+ Tacit. Hift. 4. 18, 
